And my first sale brought me back!

[SarahElisabeth]

After my second article rejection back in September, I decided to step back and really work on my writing skills before getting serious about selling articles here at Constant Content.
I've drifted mostly into fiction (which has been going really well btw ) and haven't written many non fiction articles.

Then I got an email last night saying one of the two articles I left for sale on here had indeed sold! *happy dance* Wow I was surprised!


Then I decided to check up on my two articles to make sure they had not been stolen (I keep forgetting to set up my google alerts) and what did I find? Both articles had been published, one on a blog and the other on AC!!! Argh, my happy balloon at selling my first article was deflated.

I'm over it now, contacted Constant-Content about them....now I just wait for it to be resolved right?

Oh well, it was doubly flattering that my article was worthy of someone buying it...and stealing it

[Debbi]

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Every sale is exciting but that first one is the best

Do you sell fiction somewhere? I'm first and foremost a fiction writr but don't know where to market it online.

[eek]

So happy for you, Sarah Elisabeth! I can't give advice beyond what you've done for stolen content, but your attitude is a good start. Keep writing!

I would love to hole up and write fiction. Nonfiction pays faster, but fiction is more fun. What genre(s) do you prefer, Sarah & Debbi?

Emma

[Antonia]

Sarah, that's awesome! Congrats on the sale. Glad to hear your fiction-writing is going well. My background is in writing fiction but now that I spend most of my day writing articles for CC, I don't seem to have a lot of energy for writing fiction...I am not too worried, I think that writing non-fiction is exercising my writing muscles and making me a better writer in general, and I know one of these days I will feel the call to write something that doesn't start with "Ten Tips for..." or "Five Top Reasons to..."

[Debbi]

Writing, or at least researching, non-fiction is great for fiction writers. Since I’ve been writing articles, I have learned so many new things. Like did you know that Western Gulls steal milk from lactating sea lions basking on the beach? Or that the first American police car ran on electricity and its first call was to pick up a drunk? Or that a kangaroo’s teats produce pink milk that changes in nutritional composition as the joey develops? I’m not sure how I would work these facts into a piece of fiction, but it’s fun to add to my store of knowledge. Helps when watching Jeopardy too.

Em (are you an Auntie Em?),
Mostly I write short stories and poetry for children. I have two chapter books, “Cactus Factory” and “Dandy’s Dragon” I’m not sure what to do with. Print is sooooo hard to break into. I have two completed young adult novels sitting in a drawer and a half-finished book for grownups tentatively titled “New Mexico Heat” languishing away on my computer.

[DennisMartz]

Hi Debbie,

Is "Lulu" a place to think about putting your fiction? I haven't put anything there (nothing TO put there...) but I've heard a lot of stuff does sell there.

Dennis

[Celeste Stewart]

I love writing fiction! I have on really bitchin' YA complete and one more serious YA about one chapter away (it's been stuck there for about two years now). I'm taking a break from fiction though because it's ridiculous trying to break through. I have a couple of critique buddies who have managed to shatter the ceiling and get agents and publishers but the hoops they've had to jump through before, during, and after are not hoops I'm terribly interested in jumping through. Plus, their so-called advances are miniscule (or so they say).

I used to think it would be cool to see one of my books "in print" but I'm not so enamored with that fantasy anymore. Maybe I'll resume my stories someday but by day's end, I'm done stringing words together into coherent sentences (let alone trying to weave in plot, character development, obstacles, and so on).

I wonder if I'm dragging my feet on that final chapter because I'm dreading the thought of shopping the manuscript? Maybe Of course, now that I'm a few pages away from "the end," I'm rethinking the entire plot and not sure that I want to write a book as edgy as this one has become.

[eek]

I like poetry too, Debbi, but mine only goes as far as writing silly little lines to my husband by email and birthday cards for family. Have you tried to market your stories and poetry to Stories for Children? (author submission info: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/Guidelines.aspx) Kids Magazine Writers is a great resource that compiles submission guidelines for childrens magazines: http://www.kidmagwriters.com/

I'm with you, Celeste, about feeling leery of those hoops. I have 2 books that I occasionally work on (a middle grade novel and an adult cozy mystery). I'm more motivated to keep writing fiction if I do it for me, and do it for fun. Kind of goes along with our challenge for the month of "Just Do It" - if only for yourself and your kids. But I agree that nonfiction is a good road to honing skills and learning how to research/picking up fascinating tidbits along the way. Although how you would work pink Kangaroo milk into a story is fascinating in itself, Debbi.

Celeste - It seems like YA bookshelves are filled with books that are "too edgy." If you think it's a good story, go for it, you might have success with that one. My oldest daughter/avid reader wishes she could find more good books that aren't so edgy, though. Not exactly inside information. Do you know of any good book review blogs for YA? She gets really frustrated at the library and I haven't had time to make suggestions lately.

"Em"
(yep, I'm an aunt, but they don't call me Auntie, unfortunately.)

[Celeste Stewart]

The reason I'm hesitant about the edginess, even though I know that some publishers want edgy, is that I object to so much of the violence I see on TV and the movies every day. I hate it! But what is my book about? Rape, drug dealers, teenage prostitution, and murder. I don't want to contribute to the excessive obsession with violence in the media so I'm leaning toward shelving the book. I like my other YA much better though the edgy one is probably better in a literary sense. Oh well.

[eek]

Good for you, Celeste! I wish books had a rating system like movies do. It's really hard to help kids maneuver through all the junk out there, and books can be very influential. Not that I want to raise my kids in a bubble, because edgy books have their place, but I believe a constant diet of extremes isn't healthy. I at least want to know what they're reading about so we can talk about it, and I'm grateful that so far my girls feel free to talk about anything with me so I have the chance to find out what they're thinking and maybe inject my voice. Anyway, I wish publishers could see that kids want light, fun, feel-good reading too. Most of the time. That's just my 2 cents as a mom, and an observer of two girls who read several books at a time and quickly toss aside those that are too dark or depressing.

[SarahElisabeth]

Yay for fiction!

I haven't gotten into marketing my fiction yet. I've spent part of my time entering a weekly challenge at http://www.FaithWriters.com every week and that has done wonders for honing my writing skills. It is indeed challenging and you also receive feedback/critique from fellow writers/readers as well as "Masters".

I guess the most helpful tip I have right now is buy the book "Self Editing for Fiction Writers, how to edit yourself into print" by Rennie Brown and David King. I don't agree with all their stuff, but it's been a HUGE help to me so far (it does have a fair amount of language in it. Just so you're warned as I wasn't lol)

As for genres, I dabbling in different ones - humor, mystery (a winning entry!), devotionals, historical (another winning entry!), etc.

Hope the best for everyone in your writing (fiction and non fiction)! If I come across any good markets or tips, I'll try to remember to post them here